The Way the Cookie Crumbles
by texashoser
Summary: A Mary Sue fic for Valentine's Day.


This is a Mary Sue story I wrote as an answer to a Valentine's Day challenge. Yes, I know I will never have the opportunity to enjoy Dr. Ray Stantz's company in real life, but in the world of fan fiction anything is possible.  
  
*****  
  
I was bored. Completely and utterly bored. I was sitting at this Valentine's Day dinner lecture thing and I was going out of my mind. I knew I didn't belong there and I wondered how my friends had gotten invitations to this thing. They were in the theatre and not part of some major New York office. Of course what boggled my mind even more was how they had convinced me to come.  
  
I sighed and looked around twirling a piece of my shoulder length brown hair in my fingers. There seemed to be couples everywhere and it made me feel even worse. I didn't have a date and I was the fifth wheel in my group. I sighed again and got up from the table. I wandered to the buffet table and looked at the food. Most of it wasn't very appetizing so I went to the dessert table and spotted the last chocolate chip cookie. It was odd that a nice event like this wouldn't just have one cookie left on a tray, but it wasn't my problem. I wanted the cookie and went right towards. My hand was inches away when another hand ran into mine.  
  
"Sorry," the two of us apologized to one another. I looked at the bearer of the other hand and found myself staring into the brown eyes of a man about an inch taller than me, despite my 5'7" stature and the one inch heels I was wearing. He had auburn colored hair and had a stocky figure. He reminded me of a friend I knew from the University of Houston.  
  
"You can have it," he told me.  
  
"No, go ahead," I replied. "I don't really need it."  
  
"I insist," he responded.  
  
"You know what? We both want it so let's just split it. I'd rather not spend the rest of my night arguing about cookie even though it would a heck of lot more fun than this thing." I picked up the cookie and attempted to break it. The cookie crumbled in my hands. "Never mind. Well, once again this is entirely boring."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. This thing is pretty much for people with dates."  
  
"I thought I was the only dateless person here," I replied. "Who dragged you here?"  
  
"My friends," he answered. "I'll have to remember to thank them later."  
  
"Want help?" I asked with a grin.  
  
"Nah, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Thanks though." He smiled at me than shook his head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"It's obviously something. I do that same thing. I annoy a lot of people that way."  
  
"I was going to ask you if you'd like to get out of here. We both aren't having any fun and I'm sure we could go find some."  
  
"I'd say yes, but I'd like to at least know your name before we leave."  
  
"Oh, right. I'm Ray Stantz." He stuck out his hand.  
  
"Briana Lawrence." We shook hands and his name struck a chord in my head. "Wait. Are you the Ray Stantz that works with the Ghostbusters?"  
  
"Guilty as charged," he replied glumly. "Does that bother you?"  
  
"No, it's a really nice surprise to meet someone famous. I never thought I would. Of course, I also never thought it would be a Ghostbuster. I've read about you guys in the paper, but Houston doesn't exactly put you on the front page."  
  
"You're from Texas?"  
  
"Yeah, I just moved here about a month ago with some friends. If you say one crack about ranches, cowboys, or a Southern drawl I'll scream." He held up his hands and gave me an innocent look.  
  
"You won't here anything from me. If I was Peter than that'd be a different story," Ray told me.  
  
"Well, than you can tell me that story. Maybe a few exciting ones as well."  
  
"I don't want to hog all the attention," he said. "I'm sure you've got a few interesting stories yourself." I smiled.  
  
"Yeah, a few," I agreed.  
  
*****  
  
"So there I was on stage with about two hundred people staring and I needed to get from the side I was on to the other," I told him. We had found a little café about a block from the lecture building and sat down with drinks. I got a mocha and he ordered a plain coffee. He and I were trading off as we told stories about our lives. It was my turn and I picked a story from my senior year of high school.  
  
"The person that was supposed to cue me missed his cue and I didn't exactly know a good time to get up move. I glanced at my watch a few times than at the other person. Finally I got up and crossed in the middle of speech. People started cracking up, which shouldn't have happened. It was a serious play not a comedy. In the end I got compliments on it and my director was a bit angry, but it only happened once so I didn't get screw up the play again. I probably should have though. How many people actually understand a play by Luigi Pirandello?" I took a sip of coffee than made a face. "Okay, so that story wasn't impressive as your battle with Gozer, but compared to you anyone's life is pretty boring."  
  
"No, I thought it was a cute story," Ray replied. "If I wasn't a Ghostbuster than my life wouldn't be as exciting."  
  
"You have any openings?" I inquired with a sly grin.  
  
"Not today," Dr. Stantz answered. "Maybe in a few years."  
  
"I might be knee deep in a career by than, Ray," I replied. "I wouldn't be able to save the world and work in the theatre. Those are two time consuming jobs."  
  
"Exactly." The Ghostbuster smiled at me.  
  
"Hey, what time is it?" I asked.  
  
"Why? Do you have to be somewhere in the morning?"  
  
"No, I'm just curious. I lost my watch the other day and I haven't gotten around to buying a new one."  
  
"It's 11:30," Dr. Stantz said. "Only a half an hour before Valentine's Day is over."  
  
"I've never really liked Valentine's Day. Mostly because I never had a date and everyone else did. I spent a good part of these days in my home watching sad movies and eating Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream."  
  
"My problem is that I could never work up the courage to ask anyone. I'm pretty nervous around women." I looked at Ray and could see he was still slightly nervous. I held back a grin. His nervousness was cute. Just like he was. I found myself really liking this man I had only met two and a half hours ago.  
  
"I don't mean to make you nervous. If it makes you feel any better I'm kinda that way too around guys," I told him. I placed a hand on his that lay on the table. He suddenly jerked and his hand hit my coffee causing it to spill on the front of my dark blue dress. I shot up as I felt the warmth of the liquid soaking through the thin fabric. "Ah!" People in the café looked at us, but Ray and I didn't notice.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Dr. Stantz quickly apologized. He took off his jacket and handed it to me. "Here. Put this on." I slid on his tuxedo jacket and could feel the warmth from his body on the inside. There was also a faint linger of cologne, which I thought smelt like the ocean. "I'm really sorry about your dress."  
  
"Don't worry. I didn't spend a lot of money on it," I replied. "I'll just have to take it to the cleaners and it'll be fine. Right now I'm just wet and I smell like coffee."  
  
"Do you live nearby? I could take you home," Ray offered.  
  
"No, I, uh, I'm staying in New Jersey. And that's like an hour drive. Plus I can't really remember how to get there right now. Not even the nearby subway stop. "  
  
"Maybe you should call." I shook my head.  
  
"My friends won't leave the convention thing until everyone is gone. And I mean everyone and they won't get back there until about three in the morning. I'll just go rent a room for the night. No big deal."  
  
"Well, I could take you back to the firehouse and you could stay there for the night," Ray said hesitantly. I could see from the look on his face he was thinking of the ways that could go wrong.  
  
"No, it's okay. I'll just go find a hotel."  
  
"No, come to the firehouse." I sighed. This is was exactly how our first conversation started out. It could quite possibly become a pattern.  
  
"Alright. I will, Ray. I could use some dry clothes."  
  
*****  
  
My dry clothes ended up being a large black No Ghost t-shirt and a baggy pair of blue striped pajama pants. I walked out of the bathroom in the upstairs bunkroom and looked at around. It was very obvious four people with separate personalities slept in the room. One bed was very messy with clothes and other various things strewn over it, another was made with what looked like a handmade quilt, another bed was made nicely as well and also had a tidied nightstand next to with a Quantum Physics book sitting on it. The last bed I looked was Ray's. I could tell because of the Dopey Dog blanket and the Stay Puft doll sitting on the pillow.  
  
"That Janine must really have her work cut out for her," I muttered. I walked out of the bedroom just in time to duck a green object zooming at me. I turned around and ducked again as the thing tried once more to get me. "Cut it out."  
  
"Slimer, leave Briana alone," Ray reprimanded the thing. I took a look and realized it was the ghost he had told me about earlier. "He must like you. He doesn't do that to new people very often." I turned back to Dr. Stantz who had a tray with two coffee cups and cookies on a plate. He set it down on the coffee table in front of the couch in the living room.  
  
"Should I feel honored?"  
  
"I'd say yes," he responded. "Of course, Peter would say no. He finds Slimer pretty annoying, but we know he likes the little guy."  
  
"I love Peter," Slimer said. He floated over to Ray. "When Peter come home?"  
  
"In a little while, spud. Why don't you go wait on Peter's bed? I'm sure he'd like that." The ghost nodded eagerly and went into the bedroom. I saw the twinkle in Ray's eyes.  
  
"I'm guessing Peter doesn't like that."  
  
"Nope, but I told you I was going to get the guys back. I'm starting with Peter." I laughed and went over to the couch. I sat down picking up a striped blue and green mug of coffee. I took a sip and almost gagged. It was the worst cup of coffee I had ever tasted, but I fought the reflex and just set the mug back down. Ray sat down on the couch with me and we sat in silence just waiting for the other to say something.  
  
"I know it's not Valentine's Day anymore, but there's still something I'd like to do," Ray said. I gave him a questioning look. "I wanted to do it earlier, but than I spilt the coffee and everything was messed up. I'm still really sorry about that."  
  
"Hey, its okay, Ray. I'm not upset anymore. I had a shower and I'm wearing dry clothes. I feel so much better."  
  
"Anyway..." Dr. Stantz trailed off. I gave him a please-continue look and he turned away for a moment. He scooted closer to me on the couch. "I wanted to do this." Ray leaned in and pressed his lips on mine. It was the first time I had ever enjoyed a kiss so much.  
  
His lips were soft and gentle on mine. I leaned back on the couch and he followed suit. My head hit the arm of the couch and his body pressed against my own. I put an arm around him and his hand ran through my hair. He broke away when someone let out a whistle. Ray sat up quickly and I craned my neck to see who he was staring at. Three men wearing tuxedos similar to the one Ray had on earlier were standing in the doorway to the living room. I realized who they were and I sat up attempting to look nonchalant.  
  
"I guess we know where you went," Peter commented. "Good job, Tex."  
  
"And you didn't want to come," Winston added with a grin.  
  
"Raymond, would you like to introduce us to your friend?" Egon inquired. Ray stood up.  
  
"Guys, this is Briana Lawrence. Briana, meet the guys. Peter, Winston and Egon." I smiled at them and they returned it. "I guess I should explain why she's here."  
  
"And in your pajamas," Dr. Venkman added. "A little hanky-panky on Valentine's. At least one of us is getting some. Alexis decided to bail on me, Winston's girlfriend had to get up early tomorrow for some church thing and Egon can't take a hint."  
  
"Peter, I don't believe Ms. Lawrence needs to hear about any of this," Dr. Spengler said. He looked at me and it felt like he was making his decision about what kind of person I was. "Raymond, I am quite interested in your story."  
  
"Yeah, man, I can't wait to hear it," Winston agreed. "It's not often we find you making out with a beautiful woman. It's usually Pete." Ray blushed turning almost a deep red and I was sure my face looked about the same. Than a grin started to form on Dr. Stantz's face. He looked at me than at the cookies on the coffee table. I followed his gaze than started to giggle.  
  
"It's just the way the cookie crumbled," Ray said before he and I broke out into a fit of laughter. 


End file.
